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Man beaten to death in park had special needs, family says

Police say a man died this morning after he was punched in the head during an argument at a Pennsylvania park on Monday night

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Updated: 10:21 AM EDT Apr 19, 2017

Man beaten to death in park had special needs, family says

Police say a man died this morning after he was punched in the head during an argument at a Pennsylvania park on Monday night

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Updated: 10:21 AM EDT Apr 19, 2017

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WEBVTT BARCAROISLIVE FROM GIRARD PARK INYORK WHERE IT HAPPENED.MATT: AND FRIENDS AND FAMILYHAVE BEEN STOPPING BYTHISPARK ALL AFTERNOON, ADDINGCANDLES TO A MEMORIAL THEY PUTUP FOR OSCAR CHERRY,WHO THEYTOLD ME WOULD NOT HURT A FLY.YORK POLICE SAY LAST EVENINGSOME CHILDREN GOT INTO ANARGUMENT WITH CHERRY HERE ATTHE PARK.THE CHILDREN ARE DESCRIBED ASYOUNGER THAN TEENAGERS.POLICE SAY THE KIDS BROUGHT AN18-YEAR-OLD INTO THEMIX NAMEDQUALM MERE DURHAM WHO PUNCHEDCHERRY IN THE HEAD.CHERRY WAS HIT SOHARD HE DIEDHERE, WAS REVIVED IN ANAMBULANCE AND THEN DECLAREDCLINICALLY DEADTHIS MORNINGAT THE HOSPITAL.HIS FAMILY TOLD ME THAT CHERRYHAS SPECIAL NEEDS AND HEOVERCAME THE ODDSTO GRADUATECOLLEGE WHEN HE TURNED 21.HE LIVED WITH SPINA BIFIDA ANDOTHER CONDITIONS THATSLOWEDHIS DEVELOPMENT.THIS AFTERNOON, POLICEANNOUNCEDTHE ARREST OFKWAMIERE TOUR HAM, 18 YEARS

Man beaten to death in park had special needs, family says

Police say a man died this morning after he was punched in the head during an argument at a Pennsylvania park on Monday night

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Updated: 10:21 AM EDT Apr 19, 2017

YORK, Pa. —

Police say a man died this morning after he was punched in the head during an argument at a York park on Monday night.

Authorities have identified the victim as 25-year-old Oscar Cherry III. His family tells News 8's he had special needs and was born with Spina Bifida. They say he was not expected to live past his first birthday or walk, but he persevered. Cherry taught himself to walk and graduated high school at 21.

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The incident happened at Girard Park in the area of East Maple Street and Girard Avenue. Police say Cherry was in an argument with a group of juveniles younger than teens on the basketball court around 7:30 p.m. Authorities say the group of teens left and returned with a "bigger kid" who punched Cherry in the head, causing him to fall to the ground. The male has been identified by police as 18-year-old Kwamiere Durham.